Boring machine



5 Sheets-Sheet l A. J..PARRSH BORING'MACHINE Filed Aug- 3' 1940 Jan. 4 1944' Vlllmllll Jan. 4, v1944.

A. J. PARRlsH 2,338,351

BORING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 12 ha @Parras/z A. J, PARRISH BORING MACHINE Jan. 4, 1944.I

Filed Aug. s, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /hzz @1222772573 @M man. @AMM www A. J. PARRISH BORING' MACHIN Jan. 4, 1944.

Filed Aug. 5, 1940 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I QOOMQOOQOM h dkyfarrzlsia attenua.,

Jan. 4, 1944.

A. J. PARRlsH BORING MACHINE Filed Aug. 5, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

been experienced in these operations in obtain-- ing accurate borings under all ground conditions. Tool breakage has been great and it has been the practice, when using augers drilling in clay, muck or the like, to repeatedly back oli the tool to clear the same of the plug which packs around the tool. Machines having positive or automatic feed mechanism have excessive sudden loads thrown on them when encountering ground conditions affording great resistance resulting in tool or machine breakage.

The invention has for one of its objects the provision of a portable heavy duty-drilling machine with a self-contained power drive for making accurate point to point borings under all ground conditions.

Other objects include the provision of improved supporting structure providing a machine pivotal about adjustable wheel supports; the provision of an improved manually operated feed mechanisrn; and the provision of a supporting base and boring unit organization which can be economically constructed for the most part from the use of standard structural units to provide an adjustable organization substantially balanced and with a low center of weight.

Further advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification. Like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of one form of embodiment of, the invention.

Fig. 2 is a broken front View partly in sectionv of the machine of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end View showing the adjustable anchoring support of Fig, l.

Fig. 4 is an end View of the auger guide of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view'of another embodiment of Fig, 1.

Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation View of the machine of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view with the motor and transmission shown in elevation,

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse section onv the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail View in side elevation of an adjustable support,

Fig. 10v is a horizontal section on line ille-ill of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on line li`|| of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a plan View of a wheel mounting.

Fig. 13 isy an end detail View of the Wheel mounting of Fig. 12.

In Fig. l of the drawings, there is illustrated one form of portable machine with a self-contained power plant. The machine comprises a main base support I comprising two longitudinally extending spaced channel members 2 and 3, deining with their inwardly directed ange po'rtions, a trackway ih which a wheeled carriage of a boring unit may be confined against movement other than a free rolling one longitudinally of the channel trackway. Cross members 4-5 and 6 underlying the channel members and suitably fastened thereto, preferably b`y Welding, serve to complete the baseframe and tie the channel members together in their parallel relationship. At the rear of the base there ispro- 'videdfa vertically adjustable anchoring device comprising a U-shaped bracket 'l having centrally thereof a threaded hand operated anchorage pin 8. The ends of the bracket are suitably connected with the base channel members at S and rotation of the adjustment screw raises or lowers the end or?v the base support. Adjacent its forward end, the base is provided with a wheeled carriage having an axle or bolster itl, fastened under the base frame and supported on wheels H. Varying. the adjustment of the anchorpin serves to cause the base to pivot around the wheel supports to the desired inclination for boring purposes. The bracket may be disconnected from the base or may be made to swing out of the way on connecting pivots during transportation of the machine.

Suitable pinion engaging means are provided at the upper flange portions of the channel members to cooperate with spaced pinions of a .boring unit feed mechanism later to be described. The 'pinionengaging means illustrated comprise sectionalizedrack-bars l2 having their sections detachably secured to the upper flanges of the channel member with the teeth of the racks in alignment for engagement with pinions I3 on opposite sides of the boring unit. While the racks for the pinions may be formed by aperturing the channel anges or by forming the rack teeth integral therewith, the detachable sectionalized rack bars minimize maintenance and repair expense incident to breakage.

The motorized lboring unit of Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a base frame and wheeled carriage having mounted thereon a self-contained power unit I4 here illustrated as an air cooled internal combustion engine enclosed within the housing I5. The angle iron base frame side members I6 are substantially Z-shaped presenting outwardly extending flanges I1 at the lower edges of the base. Bearings I8 are bolted to the flanges and rotatively support axles I9 carrying the anged wheels 2D. The side members I6 are connected by end channels 2| and the elements are welded to form the base structure. The wheeled carriage is supported for rolling movement by four of the flanged wheels mounted outside of the base frame. The transverse spacing of the wheels is such that the wheeled carriage may be engaged within the channel trackway of the base for longitudinal movement therein or may be rolled clear of the base to facilitate handling and transportation of the machine.

The boring tool drive Shaft 22 of the boring unit is journaled in bearings 23 mounted centrally on the end channels of the base. Shaft 22 carries chain belt sprocket 24 aligned with the smaller driving sprocket 25 mounted on a shaft extension 26 from a reduction gear transmission housing 21 on the engine and chain belt 28 affords driving connection between the two sprockets. Auger 29 is arranged for detachable driving connection with shaft 22 through the combined chuck and flexible coupling connection 30. Reducing gears and a clutch controlled by the lever 3| are positioned within the gear transmission housing interposed vbetween the engine drive shaft and driven shaft 26, the clutch lever being utilized for control of the application of engine power in driving the boring tool shaft. A band brake of conventional form (not shown) is associated with a drum on the driven lshaft under control of lever 32.

The boring unit is fed longitudinally of the channel trackway by a manually operated feed mechanism cooperating between the boring unit and base and is inclusive of driven pinions I3 and cooperating rack bars I2 on the channel 'trackway as previously described. The pinions are mounted on the ends of shaft 33 in bearings 34 fixed to the front of the machine frame. The pinion shaft may be directly driven by hand wheel 35 fixed to one end of the shaft or through a 12 to 1 gear reduction including the gear 36 and worm 31 arranged to be driven by the hand feed wheel 38 fixed to the end of shaft 39 journaled and supported in bearings 40.mounted 'on a support 4I connected to the frame of the boring unit. The gear 36 is rotatable on the pinion shaft and has an integral portion forming one member, 42, of a jaw clutch, the cooperating member 43 of which is splined to the pinion shaft to permit sliding movement to engage and disengage the clutch member and the gear. Clutch member 43 is operated by fork member 44 and lever 45. When the clutch is engaged, the feed mechanism includes the 12 to l ratio worm and gear drive from the feed wheel but lv vlienlhe;

Yit assists in leading the machine.

shaft is disengaged the pinion shaft may be directly rotated by the hand wheel 35 to hasten the movement of the boring unit along the base when either backing up to pick up an additional auger section or in forward movement to a front position after removal of used auger sections. The worm gear feed arrangement is such that it is capable of giving with a -pound pressure applied to the feed wheel a resultant pressure of substantially 3600 pounds for drilling. This is beneficial in both boring and pulling drills, and due to the nature of worm and gear construction does away with all tendency to chatter. The manual feed in differentiation from automatic feed allows an operator to feel drilling conditions and progress the machine in accordance therewith to eliminate tool breakage.

The boring element or auger 29 is of the type described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 288,237 filed August 3, 1939, and consists of sections which may be successively joined together in the course of an extended drilling operation. The auger carries at its forward end a detachable head 46 having forwardly and outwardly extending cutting ybits 41. The spiral flight of the auger is interrupted and forward ends of flight sections are sharpened into cutting edges and provided with secondary enlarged rearning cutters which have overall diameter larger than that of the flight sections and equivalent to the outside diameter of the cutter head. The secondary cutters and sectionalized flights eliminates packing and produces a cleanly cut hole to the full diameter of the bit head. Moreover, the objectionable torque build up due to packing of dirt about the auger is overcome thus increasing drilling distance. Continuous drilling is made possible in clay and the like and under substantially all ground conditions by merely adding auger sections Without removing the entering tool sections for cleaning. The auger is so constructed that in boring operations In actual boring operations, it is found that the boring unit can be progressed with only a small hand pressure applied to the hand crank. This enables an operator to practically feel ground conditions and his progress through walls and other obstructions.

The channel trackway is provided at Iits for- -ward end with a detachable auger guide 48 which comprises the bridging channel frame 49 arranged to overlie the base :at its end and be fastened thereto by pins 48 passing through holes in the guide and channels. The frame carries centrally thereof guide sleeve 50 comprising upper and lower members 5I and 52. The upper member is preferably formed integral with frame 49 by welding lthe sleeve mem ber in :a central recess of the frame. The lower member 52 is likewise made integral with bracket 53 pivotally connected at one end with the frame and detaohably connected with the frame at the other end by pin 54 removably inserted through registeringapertures in the frame and the free end of the bracket. The sleeve may constitute a guide for an auger of 'proper size to fit it or it may carry therewithin for smaller augers a reducer sleeve 55. The arrangement is such as to produce for removal of the guide from the auger at any time during a drilling operation. The guide sleeve is arranged when assembled with the machine to be in axial alignment with the boring tool drive shaft.

In the machine of modied form in Figs. Y5

to 8i the channel base, trackway and auger-guide correspond to the like structures previously described except that the channels are provided inV their inwardly facing web portions with longitudinally extending upper and lower angle members 56 and 5l welded to the channels in reversed spaced relation. The angles are so positioned and welded' to the channel as to present inwardly directed flanges 58 and 59' defining a relatively narrow slot or trackway adapted to slidably'receive and support the motorized boring unit.

The motorized boring unit is similar to that previously described with its base slightly modifled to provide for a forward supporting of the boring tool drive shaft 22 in bearings Si) and Si mounted on transverse inverted channels 62 and to 4provide longitudinally of the` side base channels longitudinally extended anged members 63. Theffianged members may be of standard angle iron construction. These angles are welded to the boring unit base so as to present outwardly directed iianges 64 adapted to be receivedwith sliding supporting and guiding engagement between the angle members of the channel trackway to permit longitudinal movement of the boring unit in the trackway.

Power transmission from the motor includes a clutch operable by the lever 65 and a change speed transmission operable by lever 65 enclosed in the housing 21'. Driving connection between the transmission shaft 6l and the boring tool drive shaft is obtained through pinion 58 on the power shaft of the transmission and large gear 65 fixed to the boring tool drive shaft which at its forward end carries the combined chuck and exible coupling 30. The chuck and coupling consists of two sprocket members 'Hi and 1| coupled together by the surrounding sprocket chain 'l2 to allow limited play for misalignment of the drive shaft and auger. The hub of element 'l0 is connected with the drive shaft by sheer pins 'f3 and the hub of 'Il is socketed. to receive the shank of auger 29.

The feed mechanism is substantially like that previously described except that the worm and gear ratio is higher and in lieu of' the hand wheel directly mounted on pinion shaft 33' this shaft carries fixed thereto chain sprocket 'I4 driven by chain 15 trained over sprocket 'IB fixed on shaft il mounted in bearings 18 above the gear housing. Hand Wheel 19 mounted on shaft 'Il serves for manual application of power to rotate the shaft to produce quick shifting of the boring unit when the clutch controlling the worm gearing is disengaged. When the clutch is engaged, the machine is fed to and from the work by hand wheel 38 nxed to the worm carrying shaft suitably mounted in guide and thrust bearings.

Wheels Il of the machine carried by stub axles 80 which in turn are supported in a box'- like structuref8l of bolted or Welded construction fixed by-Welding to a vertical back plate 82 providing laterally extending'vertical flanges for adjustably connecting the wheel assembly with the machine. Vertical adjustment of the wheels with respect to the machine is prcvided by vertical housings 83 fixed to the channel base trackway. The housing consists of a Verticai back plate 84' having marginai spacers (i5 welded thereto to provide a vertical clearance therebetween tofreceive and guide 'the back plate 82 Aof the wheel andl axle assembly. Two spaced vertical angle members have flanges fixed to the marginal spacers and extend inwardly in position to overlie the front surface of the back plate of the wheel assembly. Vertical flanges 81 of the angle members are so spaced as to receive between them in sliding arrangement `the box structure of the axle assembly. A series of vertical holes 88 in the flanges are adapted to register with holes 89 in the axle assembly in adjusting the latter and removable pin En passing through the flanges and axle housing serves to hold the wheel assembly in its position of adjustment. Further adjustment of housing Se is made possible by spaced marginal bolt holes and bolts 9| fastening the housing to the channel trackway. The arrangement is such that the wheel assembly slides in the housing to a desired position of adjustment where it is fixed in position by the through pin.

The machine is adapted to swing about its wheels as a pivot for controlled angular drilling above and below the horizontal under the innuence of adjustable front end supports. These supports are welded structures preferably formed of standard structural units. Each consists of tubular upright member 92, having an end closed channel iron foot piece 93 welded thereto, a rack bar 84 welded to the tubular member, and a guide structure 95. The guide structure is preferably formed of a pair of opposed channels welded to and substantially enclosing a tubular slotted guide 96 adapted to slidably receive and support the tubular member 92 with the rack slidably engaged in the slot of the tubular guide. The guide is supported on the channel of the track- Way by a back plate 91 and bolts 98. Parallel plates 99 welded to the guide structure on opposite sides of the guide slot serve with the back plate as journal supports for shaft Hill having fixed thereto between the plates pinion it! arranged to mesh with the rack 94. The'outer end of shaft |00 is arranged to receive the wrench 162 foreffecting adjustment. A lever [$3 pivotally mounted in the plates carries pawl IM arranged to engage teeth of 'the pinion to lock the supports in any position of adjustment. The lever and pawl is so arranged that the weight of the lever normally urges the pawl into engagement with the pinion. A second pivoted pawl |65 above the pinion is pivotally mounted between the ears H16. in a position to engage the rack when its depending lever which normally holds the pawl free due to its weight is swung outwardly. Rotation of the pinion shaft serves to lower or raise the front end of the machine to the desired drilling angle where it can be locked in position by the pinion engaging pawl.

In the structures described the base support and the boring unit frames and supports are preferably made from standard structural units welded into an integral whole to provide an economical construction of maximum strength. The cooperating flanges on the angle members oi? the boring unit and base provide for fixed linear movement of the unit and in conjunction with the rack and pinion connections between the unit and base prevent any deflection from the predetermined travel of the machine. The main base support is capable of vertical adjustment from an extreme underslung position to one above the axes of the Wheels and a fixed angular adjustment for angle drilling is accomplished by manual adjustment of the front pedestal supports.

The auxiliary or4 speed up' manual feed including the chain and sprocket reduction gear is employed when the clutch is disengaged and mainly for effecting rapid movement of the boring unit in its trackway forl quick change of auger sections or the like or for other rapid adjustments of the unit. The high ratio-worm and gear reduction is employed mainly during drilling operations where slow progress is necessary. This high ratio feed presents such mechanical advantage and sensitive control that the boring unit is easily progressed during the most exacting drilling operations by only a slight pressure applied to the hand wheel. The manual feed mechanism is so sensitive and easily maniplated and the boring unit and tool is so accurately guided in drilling operations by the rack and pinion and supporting flange and trackway structure that an operator can accurately feel drilling conditions throughout a complete drilling operation.- This enables the operator to properly advance the machine in drilling speed as conditions justify without incurring tool breakage or stoppage of drilling operations. This is not possible with machines having automatic feed arrangements.

The operation of the machine in-earth boring and pipe installation will be apparent from the foregoing description. However, when boring operations or pipe laying operations are undertaken, it is only necessary to position the machines as to work and alignment and apply power to the boring tool. The cooperating. channel trackway and sleeve guides insure accuracy and the manually operated feed mechanism progresses the boring unit lengthwise of the trackway until its forward travel requires auger eX- tensions for further boring. To add auger sections or to withdraw a boring tool under power, the operation of the ieed mechanism is reversed. Pipe sections may be mounted on the auger and be progressed as boring proceeds. New auger and pipe sections are added by retracting the machine and interposing these between already inserted sections and the machine.

While the invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention in all its aspects.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 160,162, filed August 20, 1937.

I claim:

l. In a portable machine of the character described, a base support of channel members having a trackway for supporting and guiding a boring unit longitudinally of the base and having adjustable supporting wheels adjacent one' end thereof whereby the basemay be Xed in adjusted position above and below the axes of the Wheels, a boring unit confined in said basesupport for longitudinal movement therein, manually operable feed means on said unit cooperatively connected with the base for moving said unit in said base support, said means including a reduction gearing and rack and pinion connections between said unit and base support, and supporting means for manual vertical adjustment of the other end of the base support to swing the base support and boring unit about the wheels as a pivot to position the machine for controlled angular. drilling above and below the horizontal.

2. In a portable machine of the character described, a base .support of channel members having a trackway for supporting and guiding a borment of the other end of the base support to swing the base support and boring movable unit about the wheels as a pivot to position the machine for controlled angular drilling above and below the horizontal, said last mentioned means including a plurality of vertical uprights slidably connected with the base support and 'manually operable rack and pinion connections between said base supports and uprights.

3. In a portable machine of the character described, a base support of channel members having a trackway for supporting and guiding a boring unit and having vertically adjustable supporting wheels adjacent one end thereof whereby the base may be fixed in adjusted position above and below the axes of the wheels, a boring unit conned in said base support for longitudinal movement therein, manually operable feed means connecting said unit and base support for moving said unit in said base support, said means including a reduction gearing and rack and pinion connections between said unit and base support, and supporting means for manual vertical adjustment of the other end of the base support to swing the base support and boring unit about the wheels as a pivot to position the machine for controlled angular drilling above and below the horizontal, said last mentioned means including a plurality of vertical uprights slidably connected with the base support and manually operable rack and pinion connections between said base supports and uprights, and releasable means for locking the pinion and rack in the desired position of adjustment.

4. In a portable machine of the character described, a supporting base having a channel trackway, means for supporting said base for vertical adjustment at one end thereof including oppositely disposed vertical guides on the sides of said base and a pair of wheels vertically adjustable with respect to the base in said guides, means for adjustably supporting the other end of the base including a pair of pedestals slidably associated with the base and rack and pinion connections between the base and pedestals for effecting relative adjustment, a boring unit supported for longitudinal movement in the channel trackway of the base, and manually operable means including selective reduction gearing of high and low gear ratio and rack and pinion connections between the base and boring unit.

5. In a portable machine of the character described, a supporting base of spaced parallel channel members, means for supporting said base for vertical adjustment at one end thereof including a pair of wheels and axles adjustable with respect to the ibase, means for adjustably supporting the other end of the base including a pair of substantially vertical pedestal members slidably associated with the base and having pinion engaging racks and rotatable pinions on the base meshing with the racks, manually operable means for rotating said pinions to effect angular adjustment of one end of the base about said wheels as a pivot, a boring unit, interengaging guiding and supporting means on said base and boring unit providing for longitudinal movement of said boring unit along the base between said channel members, and manually operable means for moving the boring unit along the base including selective reduction gearing of high and low gear ratio and rack and pinion connections oetween said base and boring unit.

6. In a horizontal earth boring machine, a main base support comprising spaced parallel standard channel irons each having fixed to the web portion longitudinally thereof spaced parallel angle members having inwardly directed parallel opposed flanges defining a channel trackway, an earth boring unit having a self contained power unit and a base portion movable longitudinally between the channels of the main base support, said base member having outwardly extending flange members for sliding engagement in the channel trackway of the main base support, manually operable means for feeding said unit along the base support, said manually operable means including selective reduction gearing and a rack and pinion connection between theboring unit and base support.

'7. A portable machine of the character described, comprising a motor driven earth boring unit having supporting flanges, an adjustable supporting and guiding assembly connected with said unit, said assembly including spaced channel members having inwardly directed flanges, spaced angles xed along the webs of said channels defining guideways for the flanges of said unit, oppositely disposed vertical plate receiving guides on said channels adjacent one end of the assembly, wheel and axle mounts with vertical guide plates slidable in said vertical guides through axle positions extending above and below the channels, means for xing the mounts in adjusted position, a plurality of vertical uprights slidably connected with the channels near their forward ends, manually operated rack and pinion connections between said channels and uprights for vertical swinging adjustment of the forward end of the assembly, releasa-ble means for locking the racks and pinions, and manually operable means including selective reduction gearing and rack and pinion connections between the unit and said assembly for feeding the unit along ,the guideway of the supporting assembly.

8. In a portable machine of the character described, a base support of spaced standard channel members having a trackway for supporting and guiding a boring unit, a pair of vertically adjustable wheels connected with the base adjacent one end thereof whereby the base support may be adjusted to positions ranging above and below the axis of the wheels, vertically adjustable supporting means connected with the base adjacent the other end thereof adapted to swing the base support about wheel axes in angular adjustment for angular drilling above and below the horizontal, a power driven earth boring unit having rack and pinion connections with said base support for longitudinal movement therein and manually operable means for rotating the pinions of said rack and pinion connections for effecting movement of the boring unit longitudinally of said base support.

ALAN JAY PARRISH. 

